MK reprises ‘Onegai’ smash at H!P Winter 2008

Hagiwara of °C-ute, center, fronts Melon Kinenbi, Yokohama Arena, January 2007.

Tsunku must have some way at reaching into people’s dreams and pulling out the ideal Hello Project song combinations for the company’s twice-yearly mega-concerts in Japan. I had a dream last year that, somehow, Melon Kinenbi’s monster single, “Onegai Miwaku no Target,” would miraculously be resurrected in 2008 as a giant combo -- like it was in January 2007 at Yokohama Arena.

Main stage, three launch pads and walkways cross over, and encircle, Yokohama Arena in 2007 and '08.

But, it would have to be done just like it was in 2007. Yokohama Arena would have to have the same layout. Tsunku would have to be willing to repeat on Jan. 26-27, 2008, what he did with this song a year ago.

This mix of C-ute and Berryz backdancers joined MK's Murata, left, and Ootani on one launch pad.

Well, guess what? That’s precisely what came down at the Hello Project Winter 2008 Awards Show bash. Only Tsunku kicked it up another notch – instead of having °C-ute and Berryz Kobo be mere backdancers for MK, as the two junior groups did in 2007, the entire H!P crew joined, and sang in a lot of it (at least I thought they did), and it just turned that beautiful arena into an organized riot and giant, glowstick-sparkling, fist-pumping wok of joy.

On the opposite pad were MK's Shibata, pointing, and Saitou, flanked by Chisato, left, and Risako.

Now the DVD doesn’t come out until March, but I dug back to 2007 in the form of the screencaps that illustrate this post to give you an idea of what it was like in that arena Jan. 26-27. For some reason, “Onegai” just resonates with the fans, especially in the big setting; heck, all of Melon Kinenbi’s songs seem to resonate with fans. It’s a great quartet with an illustrious history and a lot of singing ahead of it.

Glowsticks awhirl in 2007 as MK's Murata, left, and Ootani cut loose. Fans in background soak it in.

This was the most raucous song of the show, all three performances of it -- but merely a tiny fraction of what unfolded during that magic January weekend in Yokohama.

This is Radicalipton signing off – for now.

Melon Kinenbi's Saitou, left, and Shibata celebrate, winter 2007.

End game, as otakus leave their feet when MK's Shibata, left, and Saitou finish off Onegai.